SCOTT COVERT & RAY JOHNSON

Please join us Saturday, August 18th, 6-8pm for the opening reception of “Mail Art” pairing these two preeminent artists with unique mediums and visions together.

First off, Ray Johnson, a legendary artist who’s career was cut short, by diving off the Sag Harbor Bridge at age 67 was last seen backstroking into sea on January 13, 1995. The residents of Sag Harbor, Long Island, never forgot. Ray was one of the earliest Pop artists, and the father of “Mail Art.” In the late 50s, he created pioneering Pop Art collages, some of which centered on cult figures such as Elvis Presley and James Dean.

He used strips of printed images, usually accompanied by his signature “bunny head.” The bunnies evolved over the years and became a form of self-portraiture. Eventually Ray created "mail art," and in 1968 founded the New York Correspondence School, an international network whose members exchanged art through the mail. Ray's mail art combined painting, lettering, found objects and abstract mosaics. He became renowned for his work, and was the subject of an acclaimed documentary about his life, “How to Draw a Bunny.” His work is held in many private collections and is widely exhibited.

Scott Covert b.1954 is a highly regarded contemporary artist who has transformed the Victorian Craft of graveyard rubbing —-or Frottage—-into high art. He has criss-crossed the US on his creative pilgrimages, visiting cemeteries where various cultural luminaries are buried. Rock stars, Rudolf Valentino, Tammy Wynette, Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Truman Capote, Malcolm X, he runs the gamut even the famous gunslinger, John Dillinger.

Scott turns the graveyards into artistic studios, creating his works with a vibrant color palette often using bold pastel shades of pink and blue. His work has been exhibited extensively starting at Club 57 and The Fun Gallery in the early 80’s (with Basquiat, Keith Haring & Kenny Scharf.) One of the many articles written about him, comes to mind “Scott Covert: The Dead Supreme” by David Liam Sanderson for Arte Fuse in 2017.

Keyes Art is at 53 The Circle on Main Street, East Hampton. Gallery hours are 10am-6pm, open 7 days.
For more information, email [email protected] or call 917-509-1379.